Assess the leadership qualities of Lysistrata in Aristophanes 'Lysistrata'

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Assess the leadership qualities of Lysistrata in Aristophanes 'Lysistrata' 'Lysistrata' written in 411BC is the third and last of Aristophanes' 'peace plays' that we possess today. Unlike the other two, 'The Acharnians' and 'Peace', 'Lysistrata' is a dream about peace. The title character (or hero) of the play whose name means 'she who disbands armies'- Lysistrata presents her plan to end the war, her method is straightforward until there is peace there will be no more sex. The united women will dress in their most alluring clothes and yet refuse all amatory advances. Furthermore, the older women will seize the Acropolis and Athena's temple, which holds the funds for Athens war effort. However Lysistrata has to use all her cunning to get the women to agree to such a plan. Throughout the beginning of the play we see Lysistrata display many leader like qualities such as organisation, manipulation and persuasion, passion for her aims, boldness and an ability to incite passion in others. ...read more.

Middle

Her anger and disappointment, which is shown when the women fail to turn up at first for the meeting- "I'm furious. I'm really disappointed in all womankind'- clearly shows her passion for peace to be obtained. Her passion for peace is further shown in her cutting comments towards those who do not take it seriously, for example when the women refuse to denounce sex- "I didn't realise that we women were such a total lot of nymphos." It is these cutting words combined with her manipulation of the other women that slowly wins round those that disagree- MYRRHINE: "Well if you really think it's a good idea-the we agree." Thirdly, as before mentioned Lysistrata to a great extent uses manipulation and persuasion to win round the women to her view, showing great leadership qualities. She tells the women her aims-"would you be prepared to join me in putting a stop to the war?"- and allows them to make their promises-"even if I had to cut myself in two, like a flatfish ...read more.

Conclusion

Would she have had the same boldness to attempt by uniting all women to end the war? However it is unfair to say that Lysistrata is completely different to all the other women there, she does show many womanly and humane qualities for example her awe over Lampito's physic and colour, whilst I have before mention her many cutting comments it is here we see her complimenting her fellow women. It could be thus argued that Lysistrata has increased her good leadership qualities by being both somewhat separate in her passions to the other women and being identifiable in the friendly manner in which she introduces herself to the other women especially Lampito. In conclusion Aristophanes has shown Lysistrata's good leadership qualities such as organisation, manipulation and persuasion, her own passionate way of speaking and her ability to incite passion in others in a well rounded manner that makes her both identifiable to the other women and stand out as an independent, outwardly thinking leader. Helen Edwards Classical Civilisation Lysistrata 1 ...read more.

Related AS and A Level Antony and Cleopatra essays

Again, women have been depicted as treated unfairly and unjustly in another play, adding more evidence to suggest maltreatment of women in Greek society. Furthermore, in Lysistrata, Aristophanes creates a conflict between men and women in which the women are rebelling in order to coerce the men to stop the war.

He listens to the song, without endangering the crew. Odysseus then follows Circe's advice and sails close to Scylla. He has donned his armour, in the hope that he can do all he can to save people being lost. His ignoring of Circe could be a result of Agamemnon's warning

Descartes asserts that one's will is limitless due to the fact that one can will (choose, decide, try) anything, and that any hindrance to one's ability to execute their own will is only because the deficiency of one's body or understanding.

Philip Freeman agrees with Plutarch on this point, and there is much corroboration between historians' on this. He aimed to achieve peace through negotiation rather than by force. Such as he did to the invading Germans until they broke dialogue with force.

It is conceivable that Philocleon's eventual humiliation at the dinner party is a jest at the ignorance of youth. While on the one hand this stands out as a moment to laugh at (watching a drunken old man making a disgrace of himself and making matters worse when he tries to amend this)

the Athenians wanted to show the amount of power and wealth they had and wanted a larger foundation for their new temple to honour Athena. Due to the rocky terrain of the Acropolis and the planned extension of the old foundations the land had to be built up and levelled.

Houses were built below the citadel, which implies a close community. They were generally self-sufficient homes with a kitchen, altar and hearth. Their furniture was varied and frequently included a plaster bench, tables, foot-stoles and even bathtubs. Their homes appear to have been comfortable.

The reader already knows from earlier on in this scene that Mnesilochus is very masculine, using very coarse and vulgar language (says he to the servant of Agathon, "Someone who'll take you and your precious poet and perforate your posteriors with his private protuberance"[3], as well as after his encounter